As is well known to those skilled in the roofing art, the three leading generic types of commercial low-slope roof constructions are the torched on single-ply roof, the EPDM single-ply roof, and the built-up roof (BUR) construction. Generally speaking, the torched on single-ply roof construction comprises applying an insulation board cover to a steel deck or other suitable roof substrate and then securing an asphalt-coated polyester mat to the insulation boards by utilizing a hot torch flame to heat the underside of the membrane prior to adhering it to the insulation. The EPDM single-ply construction is very similar except that the thin EPDM safety due to the requirement for openflame torches, labor-intensive roof installation requirement, heavy and unwieldy roll roofing materials, splitting and blistering of the roof membrane, lap and seam failures, lack of puncture and tear resistance, failure in high winds, and non-uniform material qualities. In an effort to overcome some of these problems which have long plagued the commercial roofing industry, the panelized roofing system was developed. Quite a number of panelized roof systems are now known and they vary substantially in both their construction features and performance capabilities Representative panelized roofing systems include the STRUCTODEK FS manufactured by Wood Fiber Industries of Chicago, Illinois, the NORD BOARD system distributed by Nord Bitumi of Springfield, N.J., the INSULROOF distributed by American Roofing Corporation of Countryside, Ill., the panelized roofing system distributed by AB Mataki of Sweden, and panel systems disclosed in Stuart U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,909 and Froseth U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,067. However, although potentially an improvement over conventional roofing systems, the panelized roofing systems have suffered from numerous shortcomings including relatively high cost, difficulty in cutting the panel boards, the requirement of open-torch flame application, easily damaged insulation boards, and physical irritation caused by fiberglass or rock wool insulation materials.
Thus, an inexpensive and easy-to-install panelized roofing system has yet to be developed for the commercial roofing industry, and a long-felt need exists for such a roofing system.